Hub closure for mine car wheels



Oct. 4, 1932. B FAUNE 1,881,071

HUB CLOSURE FOR MINE CAR WHEELS Filed April 25, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR B. F. FAUNCE.

HUB CLOSURE FOR MINE CAR WHEELS Filed April 25, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 4, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BENJAMIN F. FAUNCE, OF JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE BROWN- IFAYBO COMPANY, OF .TOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- QVANIA HUB CLOSURE FOR '.l!/[]Zl.\T]1lv CAR WHEELS Application filed April 23,

My invention relates to securing means for a closure member adapted to cover or seal a journal. More particularly my invention relates to securing means for retaining a cap in operative relation to a bearing for preventing loss of'lubricant or ingress of foreign material into the bearing. 9

One. object of my invention is to provide means for removably securing a hub cap in position in an improved manner. A further object of my invention is to provide improved ings in which:

Fig. l is a dlagrammatic view, in elevation showing a car in the cage of a, rotary dumping mechanism, the hubs of the. car wheels being provided with hub; caps secured in place in'accordance with my invention;

Fig.2 is a view. in end elevation of ahub of a car wheel, thehub being provided with a hub'cap;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on line III'III of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective, view of a deformable member for securing a hub cap in position;

My. invention relates broadly to closure members for the ends of bearings, where it is desired to protect the bearings from for eign matter. One type of bearings equipped with protective means which may be secured in place in accordance with my invention are employed for rotatably supporting the axles of mine cars or, other transportation units. Mine cars which are equipped with bearings protected by caps secured in place in accordance with my invention are particularlywell suited to be used with cage equipment for dumping material from the cars. 1

Various types of cages. are, employed for dumping mine cars; some of these being of the type in which a car .isrotated about a v longitudinal axis and others being of the type in which the car is dumped through its ends; The cages: which co-operate with the mine cars comprise flange irons beneath which portions of the mine cars are moved 1930. Serial No. 446,539.

as they enter the cage. When the mine cars are inverted or tilted to dump the load, the

flanges engage'portions of the car to support the car until the same has been returned to horizontal position. A type of dumping mechanism which is widely used is shown. in Fig. 1 provided with angle irons extending longitudinally of the apparatus beneath a flange of which the hubs of the mine car wheels enter as the cars are inserted in. the dumping cage. It is obvious that any projections on the hubs arein danger of being sheared off by coming in contact with the angle iron as the wheels rotate during entrance of the car into the dumping apparatus- My improved securing means is adapted tov hold the hub cap or' other closure means for a journal of the mining car in place without requiring any projecting parts to come in contact" with the angle irons of the dumping apparatus. This example of the usefulness of my invention is to be taken as illustrative and as not limiting in any manner the scope of my invention.

The mine car which may be of any wheel mounted type, comprises an axle 4t carrying a. pair of wheels. The hub 5 of one of the wheels is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Roller bearings 6 (but one is shown in Fig. are provided for journaling the wheel on the shaft 4. A washer 7 and castellated nut 8 secure the roller bearings 6 shown in Fig. 2

in position. In this particular type of bearing, it is customary to provide a cotter pin 9 which extends through openings in the nut 8 and axle 4 to prevent accidental loosening of'the nut 8. A pair of openings 10 extend inwardly through the hub 550 that the cotter pin 9 may be inserted through the openings in the nut and axle.

vA hub cap 11 provided with a side openin 12 covers the end opening in the hub 5. screwplu'g- 13 may be employed to close the opening 12. In the embodiment shown herein, the roller bearing 6 has its outer race held in position in the hub by a press lit in the same; whilethe cap 11 is slidably received within the hub, with its inner flange engaging the outer race of the bearing. When the lubricant is forced into the interior of the hub through an opening (not shown in the drawings), the lubricant makes it way through the roller bearing from left to right as shown in Fig. 3; and when this lubricant is extruded through the opening 12, the same indicates that the bearing is completely filled with lubricant.

I have provided. improved securing means for holding the cap 11 in position to prevent its being forced outwardly when the grease is pumped, or otherwise injected into the bearing. It has been customary heretofore.

I to lock thehub cap in position bya screw or rollers 16 in a well known manner. The.

5 cage carries a pair of angle irons 17, each similar device extending inwardly through the hub. In certain types of securing means,

an outer end projects, which is in danger of being sheared off when the mine car is employed with a dumping cage, as will be made clear from Figure 1. This figure shows dia grammatically, merely for purposes of illustration, a rotary car dumping mechanism comprising a cage 14 surrounded by one or more tires 15, the tires 15 cooperating with of which is formed with an outwardlyprosecuring means which from the hub 5 would be in danger of being jecting flange 18, which is arrangedto extend out over the hubs 5 of the wheels of the car when the same is within the cage for dumping. Itwill be clear, therefore, that any projects outwardly sheared 03 by the flange 18 when the car is run into the cage 14. Even where a screw could be employed connection with a counter sunk opening, the screw might become loosened so as to project and .come into contact with the cage of'thedumping apparatus." I

a My. improved securing means is entirely contained within the hub 5 and cannot proj ect. The samemay take various forms in accordance with my invention; but in :Figs. 2 and 3, I have shown a preferred embodiment, in which a strap 20, preferably fashioned of soft iron, is held in position between the cap 11 and the hub 5. vIn this embodiment the strap is shown as provided with an enlargement or head 21 engaging the opening 10 sons to hold the strap in position. This headmay be formed integrally with the strap 20,'or may be comprised of a button or wash-' er riveted to the strap as at 22. The head 21 should preferablybe of the same size as .the opening 10. The strap 20 should preferablyjbe of material which can be bent without breaking but should have suflicient rigidity so .as' to secure the hub cap 1 11 in position when bent downover the same as shown inFig. 2.

"In assembling this mechanism, the axle,

the bearingt, and the wheel comprising the hub 5 .fare.' assembled in the usual manner. A strap 20 is then assembled in connection Twith each opening 10,,the head 21 being ining means has no m serted in the opening 10. At this time, of course, the strap 20 is fiat, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 3. The hub cap 11 is then inserted in position with its inner flange resting against the outer race of the bearing 6. Theoutwardly extending; ends of the straps 20 are then bent over to assume the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, so as to secure the hub cap 11 in position.

The hub capmay. not fit in the hub tightly enough to bind and thepressure of hardened or tightly packed grease against the inside of the cap might tend to hold-it against rotation. To further anchor the capto the hub 5,-I1may, accordingly," provide lugs 23 on the outer surface of the cap, the ends of the straps,

when bent over, being received between a pair .of lugs 23. These lugs, therefore, in coopera tion with the straps 20, prevent relative rota 'tionbetween the cap 11 and the hub 5.

It will be noted that my improved securdially extending portion which can come in contact with the cage of a dumping apparatus. f .Neither can the same become loosened, so as to project through the The straps'20 may be used hub of a wheel. many times without breaking, asthere are no sharp angles about which the same must be bent. Although simp'lerin structure, and easily manufactured, my improved securing means operates in an improved manner to hold the hub'cap orother protective devices for hearings in position. Y Y

- While I have specifically illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, and illustrated its use in connec tion witha dumping cage of a well known type,'it is to be understood that the inven tion isnot so limited, nor is its use-limitedto the particular form of dumping cage illus'-- 2. .In combination with ashaft, a wheel mountedthereon having a hub, a a, closure member, a securing device locked ina recess in the'hub by the closure member so that it "cannot be removed therefrom, said device having aldisplaceableiportion for en gaging the closure member in operative position. p 7 I i 3. In combination, a s aft,;a member cooperating with. the shaft, to permit relative rotation therebetween, saidmember having a hub, a closure member for the hub, and a se-: cur ng device locked n a recess insa d first a securing device to hold the same mentioned member by the closure member, said device having a displaceable portion for engaging the closure member to hold the same in operative position.

4. In combination, a shaft, a Wheel rotatable relative to said shaft and having a hub, a closure member for the hub, and a securing device insertible in a recess in the hub and locked in said recess upon assembling of the closure member With the Wheel, said device having a displaceable portion for engaging the closure member to hold the same in operative position.

5. In combination, relatively rotatable members, a closure member for the bearing therebetween, and a securing device adapted to interlock with said closure member, said securing device being locked in a recess in one of said first-mentioned members by insertion ofsaid closure member in operative position, and said device having a displaceable portion for engaging the closure member to hold the same in operative position.

6. In combination, relatively rotatable members, a removable closure member for the bearing therebetween, and a securing device disposed in a recess in one of said firstmentioned members, said closure member being insertable in operative position with said securing device in its recess, and said securing device having a displaceable portion for engaging the closure member to hold the same in operative position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set m hand.

y BENJAMIN EFAUNCE. 

